The same could easily be said about the Sharks, who effectively lost their sixth straight game in two disastrous strikes. The first came when Souths laid on three unanswered tries in 10 minutes early in the first half.

Paul Gallen responded for the visitors, but when Roy Asotasi scored a wonderful front rower's try - dashing 35 metres and dummying past Sharks fullback Mitch Brown - the Rabbitohs looked set for a romp at 22-6.

Tries to wingers Luke Covell and David Simmons just before halftime had the Sharks lurking at 22-18. But they were left floundering after controlling referee Ben Cummings penalised half Brett Seymour for holding down on the fifth tackle shortly into the second stanza.

Stuart and Gallen both bemoaned the penalty afterwards. From the ensuing set Beau Champion toasted a new two-year extension with his double, before striding away moments later to send Nathan Merritt across for 32-18.

With 27 minutes left, the Sharks were facing an embarrassment. And that's exactly what Simmons provided when he bombed the simplest of tries from a Seymour kick on 60 minutes.

But, instead of demoralising the visitors, the blooper lifted them to make a contest of it again as Ben Pomeroy and Covell crossed to send shivers through the pro-Souths faithful.

SOUTH SYDNEY 32 (B Champion 2, R Asotasi, D Fa'alogo, D Kidwell, N Merritt tries; C Sandow 4 goals) CRONULLA 26 (L Covell 2, P Gallen, B Pomeroy, D Simmons tries; Covell 3 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Refs: B Cummins, A Shortall.